Georgetown University has released its 2026-2027 admissions essays for applicants to the Class of 2031, the first class to apply through The Common App. The Jesuit institution asks applicants to respond to three essays in addition to one essay that is school-specific within the broader university. So, what are this year’s essay prompts? They’ve changed a bit from previous years, marking a break from tradition to punctuate the long-awaited move to the Common App.

2026-2027 Georgetown Essay Topics and Questions

All Georgetown applicants must answer the following three essay prompts

1. In all our lives, we interact with people who hold different viewpoints than our own. Describe such an event you experienced. What did you learn from the experience? (250 words).

This entirely new prompt marks the biggest change from last year’s supplement, and thus the first footprint of Georgetown’s new admissions dean, Melissa Costanzi, who recently replaced longtime admissions czar Charles Deacon. It probes whether applicants to Georgetown can play well in the sandbox with others. Instead of admitting students who shout hateful rhetoric in campus common spaces, Georgetown seeks students who have a capacity to learn from each other, who value intellectual and ideological diversity, and who can write eloquent reflections on how they’ve cultivated these values.

2. Briefly discuss the significance to you of the school or summer activity in which you have been most involved. (250 words)

Applicants should shine a spotlight on one of their more meaningful activities. And, yes, this activity should relate to the student’s hook. If a student is interested in studying political science, the activity they write about for this essay prompt should not relate to physics. Georgetown’s admissions committee wants to see how applicants are going to make the world better in a small but meaningful way. As such, this is an opportunity to show rather than tell how they’ve done that to date through the prism of a specific extracurricular pursuit.

3. As Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief personal or creative essay which you feel best describes you and reflects on your personal background and individual experiences, skills, and talents. (650 words)

While this essay is similar to last year’s third essay prompt required of all applicants, the wording is slightly different. Unlike last year’s prompt, Georgetown has removed the word “identity” and slightly rearranged the wording. Last year, the prompt read, “Georgetown is a diverse community, the Admissions Committee would like to know more about you in your own words. Please submit a brief personal or creative essay which you feel best describes you and reflects on your own background, identity, skills, and talents.”

Students need not be underrepresented minorities to answer this prompt powerfully. Students can instead write about their faith, community, or experiences, but we do encourage applicants who are underrepresented minorities to subtly make it clear since Georgetown, like all highly selective universities, continues to wish to admit a diverse class of students.

Georgetown University School-Specific Essay Prompts

For the school-specific essay, irrespective of the school, the essay should not exceed one page, single-spaced.

Georgetown College of Arts and Sciences

Founded in 1789, the Georgetown College of Arts & Sciences is committed to the Jesuit traditions of an integrated education and of productive research in the natural sciences, humanities, social sciences, and fine arts. Describe your interest in studying in the College of Arts & Sciences. Applicants interested in the sciences, mathematics, or languages are encouraged to make specific reference to their choice of major.

Georgetown’s admissions committee wants to understand how an applicant thinks. Through a specific anecdote or anecdotes, be it via a book, event, classroom discussion, lecture, or anything, it behooves applicants to shine a light on how they are filled with conviction for their chosen field. Georgetown wants to learn about the origin story of the applicant’s singular hook in all of its esoteric specificity, with the stipulation that this story should have occurred in high school and no earlier. And, of course, it wouldn’t hurt to pepper, by showing rather than telling, the importance of the Jesuit tradition and, in particular, Cura personalis, in their storytelling.

McDonough School of Business

Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business provides graduates with essential global, ethical, analytical, financial, and diverse perspectives on the economies of our nation and the world. Describe your primary motivations for studying business at Georgetown University.

This essay prompt presents applicants with an opportunity to share an origin story, as high schoolers rather than as children, for their interest in business. Ideally, the origin story traces to an activity featured in the student’s Georgetown activities section. And, of course, McDonough isn’t looking to admit future business titans just out for money. They want to understand how applicants will make the world better in a small but meaningful way. As such, McDonough applicants should infuse their essays with Jesuit traditions and why they matter to them in business. And, yes, this essay should also be infused with Why McDonough and Why Georgetown specifics (and, no, name-dropping professors and listing classes don’t count as genuine specifics).

Walsh School of Foreign Service

Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service was founded more than a century ago to prepare generations of leaders with the foundational skills to address global issues. Describe your primary motivations for studying international affairs at Georgetown University and dedicating your undergraduate studies toward a future in global service.

Walsh is looking to learn the origin story of an applicant’s interest in foreign service, as high schoolers rather than as children. Through a specific anecdote or anecdotes, which ideally trace back to the student’s activities so they’re showing rather than telling, applicants should highlight how they hope to leave a mark on the world in a way that can be actualized. Stopping climate change can’t be actualized. Incentivizing countries to be greener based on specific research and insights is much more doable.

School of Health

Georgetown University’s School of Health was founded to advance the health and well-being of people locally, nationally, and globally through innovative research, the delivery of interdisciplinary education, and transformative engagement of communities. Describe the factors that influenced your interest in studying health care at Georgetown University, specifically addressing your intended related major: Global Health, Health Care Management & Policy, or Human Science.

Georgetown’s School of Health seeks to understand a student’s origin story, as a high schooler, for their interest in the disciplines under the School of Health’s umbrella. A grandparent becoming ill with breast cancer is not the way into such an essay since it’s all too common and doesn’t say enough about how a student thinks and how they wish to leave a mark on their field.

Instead, applicants should tell a small story that ideally relates to an activity they’ve participated in during high school, that showcases precisely why they want to contribute to the health field and how they hope to make a difference, and always in a small but deeply meaningful way.

Berkley School of Nursing

Georgetown University’s Berkley School of Nursing is committed to the formation of ethical, empathetic, and transformational nursing leaders. Describe the factors that have influenced your interest in studying Nursing at Georgetown University.

Berkeley is looking to learn the origin story of an applicant’s interest in nursing, as high schoolers rather than as children. Through a specific anecdote or anecdotes, which ideally trace back to the student’s activities so they’re showing rather than telling, this prompt gives applicants the space to highlight the where, how, and why of their spark of interest in nursing.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with Georgetown University’s Essays

If you’re interested in submitting essays that will wow Georgetown’s admissions committee, fill out Ivy Coach’s complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch to outline our college admissions counseling services for seniors.